Just before taking the stage to perform with his dance troupe on Saturday, Luis Har, 70, received the first reports of the heroic rescue of four hostages from the Nuseirat refugee camp. "It took me back in time; my body reacted with extreme emotion," Har told Ynet.
In February, Luis Har was rescued from Hamas captivity alongside Fernando Merman, 60, in an equally dramatic operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah.
Har received news of the release of Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomi Ziv, and Andrey Kozlov while he and his colleagues prepared for their annual dance performance in the basketball hall at Moshav Nahalal in the Jezreel Valley. "I was with our dance troupe, and everyone was talking about it excitedly," Herr recalled. "Suddenly, my body started shaking, I couldn't stop trembling. I also had difficulty breathing, tears, and overwhelming emotions."
Har added, "It was a mix of everything—joy, sadness, and all the memories came flooding back. Thankfully, I was surrounded by people who helped and supported me. They took me to the hotel so I could shower and refresh myself, enabling me to still perform. I quickly regained my composure, went on stage, and we had a very successful show."
"I can only offer them words of encouragement, as we've been through similar ordeals, each dealing with it in their own way. The best advice I can give is not to stay stuck but to move forward in life as much as possible. Hold on to the good things—family, children, and activities you love. Like I returned to dancing, which gives me immense strength today."
Har dances with the "Aya Eshkol" troupe, comprised of residents from the Eshkol Regional Council. The troupe was established in memory of Cpl. Aya Malachi, a local resident and talented dancer who was killed in a terror attack in Be'er Sheva in 2002.
Har and Merman, abducted from Nir Yitzhak on October 7, were freed after 129 days in Hamas captivity. Their rescue was carried out by Shin Bet and the Yamam special police unit, with support from the Israeli Air Force, Shayetet 13 naval commandos, and the 98th Division alongside the 7th Armored Brigade.
The forces discreetly reached a building in central Rafah where the hostages were held on the second floor, breached the structure, and rescued the two safely despite the presence of Hamas terrorists.